THE FOURTH OF JULY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 164, 11 July 1906, Page 8

THE FOURTH OF JULY.

Just to show how these combinations affect the consumers, let mc say that here in New Zealander every user of kerosene pays at least fourpence per gallon to swell the unjust gains of J. D. Rockfeller and his colleagues. And when it is remembered tbat nearly all the fool supplies in the States are cornered and worked by these trusts: some idea may be gained as to how the bulk of the people are exploited. That these trusts care for nothing but their own unholy gains has been lately shown by the exposure of the filthy abominations of Chicago. It therefore behoves the people of this' country to determine that none of these unjust combinations shall get a footing in this fair land. Our late lamented Premier, Mr Seudon, was fully alive to the danger of allowing them to commence operations amongst us, and 1 hope our legislators .will cany into effect one of his far-seeing views. And now with regard to Mr L D. Rockfeller, Andrew Carnegie and other millionaires posing as philanthropists, and disbursing with a lavish hand money which, to say the least of it, has not been legitimately acquired. I say that none of our corporations in New Zealand should take a penny of such gifts. By doing so we lower our country in the eyes of the world and accept what should by every moral right be disbursed amongst the workers in the United States of America, who have been the instruments used in accumulating such vast sums, and amongst whom there is plenty of scope for the exercise of all the philantrophy of the American millionaires. All honour. 1 say, to that Church in America that some little time since refused a princely gift £rom Mr, Rockfeller on the grounds that his endrmbus wealth had been immoi'allv obtained.—l am, etc., ~,. _ ... \, _ WALTER.CRJSP. . Fencourt, July 7, 1900.

(To the JMltor.i Sir.. —The declaration of independence by the United States of America on July 4, 1776, marked an epoch in the world's history. In the matter of education and intellectual attainments and invention, coupled with mechanical ingenuity and other evidences of progressive civilisation the United States leads the world to-day. But although there is much in the present condition of the United States to marvel at and admire, there are other developments at which we in New Zealand should * take timely warning. Although government of the people, for the people, and by the people is their political creed, yet certain, evils prevail to-day that one outside of America can hardly understand. '■ The iniquitous trusts and combines which have been in operation for years, have produced a state of tilings without a parallel in the economic History of the world. The dishonest gains from these trusts have produced millionaires and multi-millionaires by the score, and a state of bribery and corruption, which seems to permeate the highest society, exists that is entirely detrimental to the bulk of the American people.